August 26, 2016 – Durango, Colorado

Above: After spending a month in the Montrose area, I headed south on U.S. Highway 550 and visited my old home of Silverton, high in the San Juans, before continuing on to Durango.

After camping at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park for most of August, I left late in the month and headed to the small mining-turned-tourist town of Silverton, located south of Montrose in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 9,300'. Silverton is one of the highest cities in the United States (Leadville wins the prize, though, at just over 10,000').

During the summer of 1984, I was the BLM's first ranger stationed in Silverton and I lived in a little trailer here. I spent that summer exploring the mountains around Silverton -- and doing lots of "ranger" work, of course! -- and I had a great time. This was my first visit to Silverton since that summer, and I was struck by how little it had changed. Yep, there were a lot more visitors now, and the BLM actually has a Visitor Center there now (!), but it's basically the same. Silverton is nice but I've always preferred Lake City. Still, it was good to be back.

I spent a few hours in Silverton visiting some of the places I used to go. It was hard to believe that it had been over 30 years since I worked here. Then I got in the truck and headed south to Durango.

Montrose, Colorado to Durango, Colorado

Saying goodbye to the South Rim campground at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, on a cold and wet morning.

Here's the KOA campground in Montrose where I took a shower each morning, and where I stayed in 1982 when I was a BLM ranger.

On my way out of Montrose, I stopped by the BLM office where I used to work.

Here's the BLM Montrose office. The office looked pretty much the same as when I worked here in the 1980s.

Heading south towards Ouray.

Ouray, like Lake City, is an old mining-town-turned-tourist-town. I much prefer Lake City, though.

Ouray, Colorado.

The first snowfall of the season -- in late August!

Crossing over Red Mountain Pass and the Continental Divide.

My truck at the top of Red Mountain Pass.

Here's Silverton, Colorado (elevation 9,300), my home during the summer of 1984 when I was the first BLM ranger stationed here.

Silverton hasn't changed much since when I worked here in 1984. And it hasn't changed much since 1884, either!

Looking south. Compare this with the next photo.

I took this picture in 1984 when I was stationed here. Compare it to the previous photo.

This is where I stayed in 1984 when I was a BLM ranger here.

And this was my campsite. Compare it with the next photo.

I took this picture in 1984. That's my BLM truck and trailer, where I lived that summer.

The San Juan County courthouse.

The BLM now has an office in Silverton. Back in 1984 when I worked here, the only BLM "office" was my trailer!

Man, I hate these things. They're noisy and they're all over the backcountry.

The Silverton train. You can take this train down to Durango -- it's a beautiful trip.